Overall, for us, this winter has been crazily mild. While, we did have one spell in December that was cold enough to brown much of the ground vegetation that normally stays green in this part of the country, it has been much warmer than normal for most of the season.
Still, it’s not normal to have daffodils in January, but we have the first blossom of the year – and the forecast is for temperatures above 60°F (15.5°C) for the week ahead.
So is winter over? Where is all the cold weather? Is this global warming?
Winter’s probably not over here. Typically, our snowiest month is February, followed by March, and we’ve even had snow in April, though some years we don’t get any snow at all. Last year, on February 9th, we had nearly a foot, and that was the second snow of the week.
On the other hand, spring-like conditions in early February 2008 led to a tornado outbreak that killed 13 in Arkansas (55 in southern US) with widespread damage and power outages. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more big storms or winter weather in the next month, this year.
While it’s been unusually warm here,the reverse is true in other places. Alaska has seen some brutally cold weather, worse than normal, and very heavy snow in places. Sea ice in the Bering Sea is moving south much earlier than normal – and it’s moving fast, threatening to halt the snow-crap harvesting at the peak of the season. Very cold temperatures and strong winds are pushing the ice south at 10 to 15 miles a day, 5 times the normal rate, threatening $8 million worth of crap pots and other gear already in the water.
In my view, our warmer weather and the colder weather in Alaska are just regional climate variations, not global warming or cooling, not a direct manifestation of climate change, though change is coming – it always is.
Globally, temperatures have been relatively stable over the last decade.
While warming alarmists tout the decade as the warmest on record, “relatively stable” for more than 10 years isn’t warming.
As I’ve said in previous posts, my view is that we are on the verge of a significant drop in global temperature. When it starts, if it starts, is anyone’s guess. The loss of heat may have already begun in the waters of the world, without yet being felt in the weather.
One ominous prediction, though, says that the coming cold may move the geographical center of the corn producing region of North America from Iowa south into Kansas.
I’d rather have global warming.
What has the weather been like recently for you?
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This was our second time on this trail segment, which runs from the Bear Lake parking area to Emerald Lake and connects with other Bear Lake area trails. We had hoped to make it to Emerald Lake if our legs, and the weather, held out. The weather had been iffy overnight and during the morning. Trail Ridge Road had been closed closed the night before and remained closed due to snow for the first time in the season. With rain threatening, instead of a hike that morning, we went into Estes Park. After lunch and walking around Estes Park town center a bit more, we headed back into the park to the Bear Lake area trailhead.
From the Bear Lake area trails parking lot (9,475 ft.), the trail climbs steady for 1/2 mile, then levels off at about 9, 700 feet at the south end of small, lily pad covered Nymph Lake. The trail begins climbing again in the forest on the north end of Nymph Lake and levels off again at Dream Lake, 1.1 miles from the trail head and at an elevation of 9,912′ ft. Dream Lake is .35 miles long. The trail passes along its west shore.
On our four previous visits to Rocky Mountain National Park, we stayed one or more nights in the adjacent town of Estes Park. This time, we didn’t, as we were able to get reservations at Moraine Park Campground in the park for the duration of our planned visit. As a result, we actually spent less time in Estes Park than any other visit – other than traveling through town and stops for fuel and groceries, just a short visit before and after lunch on September 15th, followed by an afternoon alpine hike back in the park. It was an nice stroll along the street and into some of the shops – and much less crowded than our last visit on Labor Day weekend, 2009.
The Bear Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular parts of the park. We’ve hiked several trails in the area, including the 0.6 mile trail around Bear Lake.